The traditional process of filling, seaming, distributing, and selling a beverage-filled container takes place at many locations. In a typical scenario, a vendor manufactures containers and container end closures at a manufacturing facility. Then, the vendor ships the containers and container end closures to a filler. At the filler's location, the metallic containers are filled with a predetermined amount of a beverage, and the container end closure is double seamed to the container. Next, the filler sends the beverage-filled containers into a distribution network whereby third parties handle the logistics of transporting the beverage-filled containers to retailers. This may include many stops at shipping ports, railroads, warehouses, etc. Only when the beverage-filled container reaches a licensed retailer such as a liquor store or a grocery store does a consumer actually buy the beverage-filled container.
One shortcoming with this traditional process is that the consumer has no influence or control over the filling, seaming, or distributing of the beverage-filled container. Rather, the consumer simply purchases the container at the end of the process. In addition, during the extensive process of transporting the filled container, the beverage may be excessively over-heated and shaken, thus compromising the taste of the beverage. Therefore, the consumer cannot influence the amount, content, or other aspects of the beverage, nor the size and ornamental shape of the container.
A “growler” is a container that allows some input by the consumer during the process of filling and distributing a beverage-filled container. A growler is a reusable container that is typically made from glass and comprises a closure. The closure is typically a metal structure that both grips the glass container and presses a rubber seal into an opening in the glass body of the growler. Growlers have become increasingly popular in the craft beer brewing market. In a typical craft brew scenario, a consumer brings a reusable growler to a craft brewery, or alternatively, purchases a growler at the brewery. Next, the consumer selects a specific type of beverage. The growler is subsequently filled (often by the consumer), the closure is sealed to the bottle, and the consumer takes the beverage-filled growler home, to a picnic, sporting event, etc.
However, growlers have several disadvantages. First, growlers are difficult to recycle because they are comprised of several materials. Most growlers are glass and have tops constructed from metal, rubber, and other materials. To properly recycle a growler, a consumer would have to obtain tools to disassemble the various components of the growler. Further, growlers may not be used in areas where glass is prohibited. Due to the breakable nature of glass, glass containers are prohibited at many events because of safety concerns. Growlers are also heavy and are generally, significantly more expensive than metallic containers.
Growlers additionally have a poor shelf life due to their construction. As mentioned above, the top of a growler has a metal structure that presses a rubber seal into an opening in the glass body of the growler. This seal is not as durable or high quality as the seal of a conventionally manufactured metallic container where a container end closure is seamed onto the neck of the container. Further, repeated use of a reusable growler over time can degrade the quality of the seal.
Although the growler is reusable and thus used repeatedly, this increases the likelihood of contamination as a result of improper cleaning and sterilization. Mouth contact with the opening of a growler can easily transfer bacteria to the beverage or foodstuff which can subsequently contaminate both the growler and the beverage or foodstuff. Contamination will cause bacterial and fungal growth in the beverage while kept in storage.
Due to the numerous limitations associated with the prior art described above, the following disclosure describes an improved method to fill a metallic container, seam a metallic container end closure to the metallic container, then purchase the filled metallic container.